A couple of weeks ago, during the week of the ice storm I was working a three car injury accident and the Fire Fighters were using the jaws of life to pry open one of the cars. We were chit chatting about things as we watched the progress of the guy operating the tool make his way through the twisted metal. Coincidentally the Mayor and his latest series of follies became the topic of conversation.
One of the newer Firefighters remarked that Abramson was supposed to pay the money he has owed to the Firefighters soon. I looked at some of the older guys and we laughed. We were numb with cold and sick and tired of the way this ungrateful Mayor treats the Employees of Metro Government, but we still can laugh when we hear someone say something truly funny.
Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. ~ Kurt Vonnegut
We laughed for several reasons. We laughed because this young man in his naiveté assumed Jerry Abramson would somehow turn over a new leaf and choose to do the right thing.
We laughed because the frustration and anger that this political weasel has perpetuated on this community for years has to have a release valve, otherwise we would explode.
For those of our viewers just tuning in let me explain how this has gone:
In 1995 the issue of the overtime being paid incorrectly was taken to Abramson and proof was shown to him that the calculation on the overtime was being mishandled. In 1995 the Fire Fighters follow the proper steps and filed a grievance. A simple little fix and a small amount of back pay was in order to correct the problem. What did he choose to do? Nothing!
It was denied at Abramson's level and went to arbitration where the independent Arbitrator ruled that the Fire Fighters were correct and that Abramson needed to pay them, but once again he chose to do nothing. The Fire Fighters soon realized that he wasn't going to comply so they decided to hold off and take it to the new Mayor when he came into office at the start of 1998.
In 1997 Abramson had finished his third 4 year term and the Mayor for Life could not run again so the ball now falls into the hands of the new Mayor Dave Armstrong. Dave had some pretty good rapport with the unions and his employees but he threw his hands up and said he couldn't do anything with this, because this problem came about due to the previous administration failing to act. Dave didn't do anything with it either.
The issue festered and grew with passing time. In 2000 the Firefighters filed a complaint with the Department of Labor who ruled that Louisville City Government was wrong and they should immediately correct the way the overtime is calculated and that the Fire Fighters should receive recompense in the form of monies owed due to the miscalculation. Remember our brave Fire Fighters have never once sought punitive damages for this, even though it is obviously an intentional act.
The Mayor for Life returned in 2003. Obviously what he hoped would die during his brief hiatus from power was still lurking in the hallways. The issue wound its way through the court system. It went from Circuit Court to the Court of Appeals to finally the Kentucky Supreme Court and during each step of the process that began in 1995 Abramson was told to pay up.
This took being stubborn and foolish to a whole new level. It wasn't an issue of fighting for what is right. It has been the most expensive stall tactic in the history of this community. The attorneys enriched by Abramson's largesse have made out quite well. The Fire Fighters are still waiting for their money.
Today we learned that Abramson is once again taunting judicial orders to pay the Fire Fighters and has come up with a claim of sovereign immunity. The time the judge gave you was to calculate the monies owed, not come up with another excuse not to pay. Sorry pal but after you lose your case you don't get a mulligan.
This issue went too far long ago, but this has pushed it over the edge.
In December when the ruling to pay the Fire Fighters was issued Abramson struck back in his typical vindictive style and quit paying them their State Incentive pay. The state has no mechanism set up to handle these payments so it is costing our Brothers and Sisters who protect our homes about $134.00 out of every paycheck because of Abramsons vengeful and petty tactics.
The Judge in the ruling for the Fire Fighters should issue an arrest warrant for Jerry Abramson for contempt of court. I am sure there would be a long line of willing participants to be the ones to place the bracelets on our beloved mayor.